Performances

Tune of the Day: I Dreamt that I Dwelt in Marble Halls

from “The Bohemian Girl”, arranged for Flute and Piano

The opera The Bohemian Girl was written in 1843 by Irish composer Michael William Balfe. “I Dreamt that I Dwelt in Marble Halls”, an aria from Act II, is undoubtedly the best-known number from the work; in it, the main character, Arline, describes her vague memories of her childhood.

The aria is cited in James Joyce's novel Finnegan's Wake, as well as in the short story Clay from Dubliners, in which the character Maria sings some lines of the song. The piece was very popular in the second half of the 19th century, but also has many modern incarnations. It has been recorded by many artists, most famously by Joan Sutherland, and also by Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø and Irish vocalist Enya.